Tag: First Certificate FCE

Connectivity Improved the Way We Bring Up Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For most families, it can be difficult to keep up with the rapid development in technological devices, mobile applications, and the ways young people use them.

Digital parents play a crucial role in molding how their children use digital media. It’s important for parents to have conversations with their children about the digital world – so families can make the best use of it and enable children to navigate it safely.

Read the article on connectivity and raising children.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/digital-parents-how-connectivity-has-improved-the-way-we-bring-up-children_uk_5cc3060ee4b05f4d35ff4a7b

Discussion Questions:

1. Is technology a good or a bad thing?
2. How has technology changed parenting?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using gadgets for children?
4. From what age do you think children should have a mobile phone?

Harmful Tourism

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries. It generates jobs and revenue for the country or the local government. Travelers love being in foreign lands but the same cannot be said completely for the local residents.

Let’s listen to the podcast and learn some tourism vocabulary too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-190912

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the harmful effects of tourism discussed in the podcast?

2. What are your thoughts on this?

3. Do you like to travel? How often do you so?

4. Do you like visiting other countries or do you prefer traveling in your country?

5. What does Disneyfication mean?

Leftovers You Should Stop Eating

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Leftovers can be a good solution to a quick meal. It is so easy to just reheat them in the microwave to satisfy one’s hunger. However, reheating certain food can be risky and much too fatal.

Watch the video and see if you are guilty as charged.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe your reaction to this video.

2. What are the leftover food mentioned in the video?

3. Are you guilty of eating any of these leftover food?

4. What are the proper food reheating techniques discussed in the video? Do you have the time to do them when you eat leftover food?

A Message to Today’s World Leaders

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Greta Thunberg, 16, a Swedish climate advocate and recipient of Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award, recently gave an impassioned speech addressed to world leaders at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York.

Watch her full speech here:

 

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What emotions did Thunberg’s speech arouse in you?
  2. What actions can young people do to protect the environment?
  3. What are the possible consequences of ignoring climate change?
  4. If you were to address your country’s leaders, what would you tell them about climate change?
  5. If you were President, what would you do about the environmental problems in your country?

 

 

Canadian Prime Minister in Black and Brown Face

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been caught in a controversy wherein photographs of him wearing a face make-up to look like a brown/black-skinned person emerged. Justin Trudeau has apologized for his embarrassing and offensive actions of racism since.

Let’s watch the news below:

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on this headline?

2. What are your thoughts on dressing up as someone of different color at a party/event?

3. If you were Trudeau how would you handle this row?

 

Dealing with Self-doubt

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whenever you are preparing for something, most likely there is something that might prevent you from thinking that you’ll succeed in doing it. It is what we call the evil within or our self-doubt. We are often told not to be overwhelmed with negative thoughts and trust one’s self to overcome obstacles and succeed in whatever you are aiming for. However, most of us are struggling with how to fight the devil within ourselves.

Watch this video about five things you can do to eliminate self-doubt.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever felt self- doubt? Share your experience/experiences.
  2. In general, are you confident in yourself? Or are you plagued by doubts?
  3. What role does self-doubt play in your life? Does it affect your performance at school or work?
  4. What are the sources of your self-doubt?
  5. Do you have your own strategies to deal with self-doubt? How effective have they been?

Empty-Nesters are Happier

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Perhaps it’s true what they say: having children does make a person happier but research shows, some parents only feel so after their children had left the nest.

Find out more about why empty nesters are happier parents.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/08/20/empty-nest-parents-happier-when-kids-move-out-study-finds/2052323001/

Discussion Questions:

1. Who really is happier — people with or without children?
2. What is your opinion on the statement: “parents are happier, but only after their children had moved out”? What do you think this implies?
3. What are the positive and negative aspects of parenthood?

Time Outs to Discipline Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Time out is often used by parents nowadays as a form of discipline to their misbehaving children. Some suggest that this can be ineffective and even harmful to a child’s emotional health and the relationship with their parents. While others say it doesn’t affect the child’s behavior.

Let’s know more about the effects of time outs on children.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49692573

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of time-outs as a punishment?

2, What measures of discipline do/would you give your children?

3. How might time-outs affect parent-child relationships?

4, How effective are time-outs in disciplining children?

5. How’s your parenting skills like?

 

 

Little Secrets to Getting Rich

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There is a difference between having money and being wealthy. If you want to be wealthy, it’s time to look for ways on how to do so.

Watch the video and find out some secrets to becoming wealthy.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the five secrets to getting rich?
2. Are you doing any of the tips mentioned in the video?
3. Do you want to be rich? Why/why not? If yes, what are you doing in order to achieve it?
4. Who’s the richest person you know and how did this person become wealthy?
5. What are the good and bad things about being very wealthy?

Active or Reflective Listening

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we think of communication, we think of talking. That’s where we’re wrong. Listening is also a crucial skill that is necessary for effective communication.

Active listening involves full concentration, understanding, responding and looping back.

Watch the video and learn tips and expressions you can use when the need for active or reflective listening arise.

Read the article here as well: https://spunout.ie/health/article/listening-is-helping

Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the 6 tips from the video. Which expression/s or tip/s did you find most useful/interesting? Why?
2. Talk about a situation when you lend someone your ear.
3. Do you agree that listening is helping?
4. How important is talking and listening during difficult times for you?
5. What are other ways to show someone your support during tough times?